Bon Jovi Talks Tumultuous 3 Year Lead Up to ‘This House Is Not For Sale’

For the past 30+ years, Bon Jovi has consistently released studio albums and taken that continually growing catalog of material on the road. Despite a hiatus in the mid-90s, rarely a year goes by without a new album or a world tour from the New Jersey natives.

“Well, you know, when Richie [Sambora] didn’t show up for work anymore that was quite the shock,” says Jon Bon Jovi. “And we had to do 80 shows on the last tour; we didn’t have the chance to deal with any of the emotions that were involved in that because there was a show that night.”

During the Spring of 2013, Bon Jovi announced that longtime lead guitarist Richie Sambora had departed from the group, with Sambora citing personal issues as the cause, and the band would continue in his absence with touring member Phil X filling in.